Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and conducting examinations to determine if the veteran's current disabilities are related to service.

The Board found that the veteran's current left ankle complaints are not related to service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has decided in favor of the veteran, granting service connection for a back disorder. The decision is based on evidence that supports a direct link between the current condition and the veteran's military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected lumbar and cervical paravertebral fibromyositis do not warrant increased ratings as they currently result in moderate limitation of motion.

The Board has granted a 10 percent evaluation for chronic lumbosacral strain and found service connection for thoracic spine disorder. Service connection for cervical spine disorder was denied.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for additional development due to changes in VA regulations and the need for further medical examination.

The Board found no evidence that the veteran's current back disorder was incurred or aggravated during his active service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board denied service connection for degenerative disc disease and arthritis of the lumbosacral spine, finding no new evidence to support these claims. The veteran's claim was not reopened.

The RO denied a compensable rating for the veteran's service-connected low back disorder, stating that there was no indication of a relationship between the current lumbar spine condition and the service-connected acute sacroiliac sprain condition.

The Board is remanding the issue of entitlement to an increased evaluation for PTSD to the RO, while maintaining the current 30 percent rating for cervical spine disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for his TDIU due to a service-connected back disability, finding that there was no evidence of an increase in disability within one year prior to the filing of the claim.

The Board is remanding the case for further adjudication due to new evidence and procedural issues.

The Board denied the claim of service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine, finding that there was no evidence linking it to service.

The Board finds that the veteran's low back disability, which resulted from a VA procedure in July 1987, caused additional disabilities of his right leg, foot, and left upper leg. The decision grants compensation for these disabilities.

The Board has granted a disability rating of 30 percent for postoperative residuals of a right ankle fracture with ankylosis, effective from the date of the claim. The left ankle disability is rated at 10 percent prior to September 27, 1999 and 20 percent as of December 1, 2000.

The veteran's claims for increased and total disability ratings were denied as the veteran failed to report for scheduled VA examinations, which would have provided necessary evidence to support his claims.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim of service connection for postoperative residuals of a lumbar laminectomy and remanded it for further development, including obtaining medical records and an examination to determine if his current back disorder is related to military service.

The Board finds that the veteran's currently diagnosed chronic cervical strain, muscle spasm, and degenerative disc disease of C5-C6 are etiologically related to service. The residuals of head injury are not currently demonstrated.

The Board determined that the veteran's disability rating for lumbosacral spine arthritis was reduced from 40 percent to 20 percent, effective October 1, 2000. The reduction was based on the opinion of a VA examiner who concluded that most of the veteran's symptoms were due to underlying conditions unrelated to service.

The Board found no evidence of a current disability of the back, right leg, or left leg that was incurred in service. The veteran's arthritis was not shown to be related to his military service.